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If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not constantly demanding more from yourself—expanding and learning as you go—you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip. -Dean Karnazes
Route Planning and Preparation:
I chose a counter clockwise route starting near Brucoli which is on the east side of the island south of Catania. I went this direction in order to do the majority of the climbing and get through the major cities such as Catania, Messina, and Palermo early in the ride so the last day would be slightly easier in terms of climbing and traffic. I created the course using the Popularity Routing feature on the Garmin Connect website. Basically you select points along the route and the software will pick the roads most commonly traveled by cyclists. General speaking, the more popular the route, the better the road conditions are.
After the route was created in Garmin, I used Google Maps to zoom in on the roads and look at the route mile by mile and made a few adjustments as needed. Overall this worked well with only one surprise gravel road during the actual ride which I was able to avoid by making a small detour.
The total distance came out to be just over 630 miles. Although my bike would have lights, my goal was to ride during daylight hours only. With about 13 hours of sunlight this time of year, I did the math and determined I could complete the ride in four days if I cover 158 miles per day averaging 15 mph moving speed and taking no more than 2 hours of rest breaks during the day.
My wife and I decided that she would drive the family around the island while I rode my bike. I would be self-supported during the day, but they would stop to cheer me on at various points along the route and we'd all meet up at hotels in the evening. The next step was finding pet-friendly hotels approximately every 158 miles that would accommodate all of us. With the ride taking place over Easter weekend, I wanted to get rooms booked early and made final arrangements three months out.
Training:
This would be my first multi-day event of any significant length. I've done a few back to back long rides, but nothing longer than two days. The longest single day ride I've done is 313 miles, but that was 18 months ago. I also completed a virtual Everesting challenge about 4 months earlier on the bike trainer which consisted of 33K feet of climbing over 235 miles and 21 hours of ride time. More than anything else, I think those two events prepared me mentally for the challenges this ride would bring.
In the months leading up to the ride I steadily increased my weekly mileage to 225 miles per week. About half those miles were during the weekdays with one long ride of 100+ miles on the weekends. That may not sound like a lot to prepare for the big ride around Sicily, but I was also running 50 miles and swimming three times per week so my training load was very high and I was accustomed to fighting through the fatigue. I ran a 40 miler (early birthday run) about two weeks before the ride and then tapered back my ride and run mileage significantly.
Morning Routine:
I refined my morning routine during training rides and tried to stick to the same schedule each day of the ride. For me, it's best to eat half my breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee immediately upon waking. Next I mix my nutrition for my water bottles and go for a one-mile run. The short run is an opportunity to evaluate how I'm feeling physically and mentally and give the coffee a chance to work its magic. For breakfast I had one bottle of high-calorie Ensure, one banana, and half of a bagel with Nutella. After the run I drank a second bottle of Ensure, another banana, a couple handfuls of pretzels and the other half of the bagel. After breakfast I double check the bike is ready to go, change into my cycling gear, and review the route before departing.
Wake Up: 4:35
Coffee/Breakfast: 4:45
Mix water bottles: 5:00
Run: 5:10
Breakfast part two: 5:25
Final bike preps: 5:40
Ride: 6:15
Day 1 - 19 April 2019, Brucoli to Sant'Agata di Militello
To say I was excited to get on the road and start this journey would be an understatement. I was ready to roll ahead of my morning timeline and had to wait for enough sunlight to come over the horizon. Sunrise this time of year is about 6:20 am and I felt comfortable setting off at 6:04 am. Getting through Catania can be a challenge and I was glad to be passing through relatively early in the morning before the city woke up. Traffic was light, I was feeling strong, and the pedals were turning over easy. I'm very familiar with the first 50 miles up to Taormina as I've ridden the same route on a few of my training rides. No matter how many times I ride through, I always have to stop for a photo there. This time was no different, but I was eager to keep moving as it would be all new roads and scenery from here on out. Other than a couple quick bathroom breaks, stop and go traffic and another photo in Messina, my first real break was at mile 97 for pistachio gelato, water, and a can of Coke.
My next big stop of the day came at mile 128 for an arancini ragu - stuffed rice balls with meat, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried. Yes, they taste as amazing as they sound and are packed with plenty of calories for a long ride. I ate those and gelato everyday for lunch.
The remainder of the ride that afternoon was breathtaking. I think some of the best scenery of the entire journey was along the north side of the island along route SS113. The weather was perfect and with little traffic it was a very peaceful way to end a wonderful first day.
While I was out riding all day, my family was at work and school. They packed up the car and arrived at Hotel Palazzo Fortunato at 5:20 pm - about 5 minutes after I rolled into town. Perfect timing! After getting checked in I charged up my bike computer, lights, battery pack, and phone. I also cleaned up the bike, made my sandwiches for tomorrow, and set out my cycling kit for the next day.
That evening we walked downtown exploring the city and consuming large amounts of pizza and gelato. There was an Easter procession taking place which was interesting to observe. When Sicilians celebrate, they go big. It was difficult to get good rest that evening - partially due to the events going on outside the hotel and because I was still amped up from the ride and thinking about tomorrow. In total I probably had 4 hours of sleep that night.
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| Taormina with Mt Etna behind me |
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| Mile 97 stop for gelato and Coke |
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| Mile 128 stop for arancini |
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| Done with Day 1 |
Day 2 - 20 April 2019, Sant'Agata di Militello to Castelluzzo
I woke up feeling strong and my one mile run with the dog felt easy. I had to concentrate on holding back the pace. The morning routine went as planned and I was ready to head out at 6:05 am, but my Garmin wasn't. It took several minutes to acquire satellites and calculate the route. Once it was ready to navigate, a local Italian drove by and stopped to chat about my bike and cycling in general. It was fun to chat, but I was ready to get the day started. I ended up stepping off at 6:18 am.
It was another beautiful morning with bright blue skies and blue water all around. The miles went by even quicker than yesterday, but I was feeling extra hungry and stopped for a croissant and an espresso in Cefalu which was about 38 miles into the ride. After fueling up my next stop came at mile 76 to refill my water and apply extra chamois cream before venturing into Palermo. Getting through the biggest city in Sicily was a challenge with all the stop and go traffic and navigating through the city streets. Riding through any city in Sicily can be a real challenge. The narrow streets, double and sometimes triple parked cars, busses, and scooters everywhere can be mentally draining. With so many moving pieces around you and cobblestones and potholes to avoid you absolutely have to be alert at all times and ready for anything.
Randonée della provincia di Palermo was taking place that day, an organized bike ride around Palermo with 100K and 200K route options which equate to roughly 62 or 124 miles. I remember thinking, "that's cute, I've already ridden 85 miles this morning just to get to Palermo." It was a big event involving hundreds of cyclists. We shared some of the same route and there were a few times I'd end up riding several miles with various groups.
As I was making my way out of town, I had a cyclist yell something at me in Italian. I stopped and he spoke English once he realized I was American. He was trying to tell me that I was going the wrong way on the bike route. I tried to explain that I wasn't part of the event. He asked where I was going and I said Catania, which at the point was a couple hundred miles away no matter which direction you go. I know I confused him. He tilted his head and looked at me funny and had nothing else to say. I'm sure he was thinking, "stupid Americano, he doesn't know where he's going." Our interaction gave me a good laugh and we both went on our way.
I hit mile 100 around 12:40 pm and stopped in Carini for my gelato fix shortly after. Fragola and limone in a brioche this time (strawberry and lemon in a sweet bread roll). That would fuel me to mile 133 where I stopped for more water and Coke after some big climbs. At this point in the day Rae and the boys had caught up with me and stopped to check on me as I was getting ready to head back out. Rae said the boys were commenting, "poor dad, those are some big hills!" Once I got back on the road they headed to the hotel to swim and I continued on my way. I actually had to pass by the hotel that afternoon and go an additional 6 miles up to the Faro Capo San Vito lighthouse, the northern most point of my journey. After a quick stop for a photo, I turned around and rode the 6 miles back to the hotel. The winds had started to pick up that evening and gave me a hint of the punishment to come in the days ahead.
We stayed at Hotel Oasi in Castelluzzo that night. It's a beach town with not much going on in April. Fortunately the hotel had a restaurant and the staff was very accommodating. Of course pasta was the recovery meal of choice. I had a big bowl of spaghetti, half of my son's spaghetti, and some pizza leftovers. I slept much better that night.
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| Stop in Carini for gelato and brioche |
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| Climbing in Altavilla Milici |
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| San Vito Lo Capo Lighthouse |
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| My son gave me these before the ride and told me to take them when I needed extra energy. Thanks Cade! |
Day 3 - 21 April 2019, Castelluzzo to Licata
Up at 4:35 am again. Although it was Easter, it was starting to feel more like Groundhog Day. I followed the morning routine as usual and felt great on the run. The hotel is at the base of a long slow climb, so my run was a half mile up hill, and a half mile down hill. My legs were still feeling good. Before rolling out I hid a couple dozen Easter eggs around the hotel room for my kids to find later that morning. I appreciated my family's support and was mindful of the sacrifice they were making to support me. I know several long days in the car isn't a lot of fun and I wanted to do what I could to keep their spirits up. It was fun listening to their story of the Easter Bunny finding them when they caught up to me later in the day.
The Garmin came to life quickly this morning and I rolled out at 6:17 am. The ride started with two big climbs. Today's route had the most elevation and I was happy to get a good chunk of it out of the way early. I made my first stop in Marsala at mile 35 around 8:30 am. I was happy with my average speed at this point, but I knew it would slow. The winds were picking up as I headed southeast and the forecast wasn't pretty. Most of the southern side of the island was under a wind advisory for the next two days. Winds were forecast to be in the mid 20's and gusting to 40 mph. After a quick stop for some photos I continued on and by 9:40 I was battling some serious headwinds. There were times I was putting down 180 watts on flat roads and only going 7 mph. I could have easily of been going 18+ mph on roads like that in calm conditions. I had several instances where the bike and I were pelted with sand and rocks from the wind. My face will heal, but I was concerned about wrecking that beautiful celeste paint on my bike. She has a few nicks and scratches now. Battle wounds and souveniers I guess.
My next stop was in Mazara at mile 59. I propped the bike up while I ate one of my bagels and the wind grabbed a hold of it and threw her to the ground. As a result the chain derailed and chipped the paint near the bottom bracket. Unfortunately this was a turning point in the ride and I spent the rest of the day angry at the wind and weather conditions we'd been fighting. Looking back at text messages to my wife, it took me 1 hour and 8 minutes to go from mile 85 to 95. Based on my pace yesterday that distance would've taken me only 35 minutes.
Self doubt started to creep in as the miles barely ticked by. I wasn't going to quit, but all of a sudden it didn't feel like completing all four days during daylight hours was a certainty anymore. The chance of failure seemed so much higher now and that changed the ride entirely. I wrestled with that mentally for the rest of the ride. It didn't help that I was off my nutrition plan too. My Garmin would remind me to take in nutrition every 15 minutes, but there were many times that I didn't feel comfortable taking one hand off the handlebar for even a few seconds to grab a bite to eat. As the time passed, I fell further behind and was getting hungry. Eventually I just had to stop and get off the bike to eat. I started to feel a little better after doing that, but once you fall behind your nutrition plan, you really can't catch back up. My other concern was that it was going to be a very long day in the saddle at the rate I was going which made me hesitant to stop and eat. I really wasn't sure if I'd make it to Licata before dark.
I told myself I'd make one longer stop and then push through the rest of the way. Around 5:10 pm I found a cafe near Agrigento and grabbed some gelato, water, and Powerade. That was just what I needed. Other than a couple short stops to put on my jacket and lighted vest, I was able to ride straight to the hotel. I arrived just before 7:30 pm which is after sunset, but before nightfall. Thankfully today had the shortest distance of 150 miles. If this had been a 160 mile day, I would've arrived after dark. My average moving speed that day ended up being 12.4 mph, more than 4 mph slower than days 1 and 2. The frustrating part was that my average power output was higher. I felt beat up mentally and physically, but glad to have finished.
We stayed at Hotel Al Faro in the heart of Licata. The accommodations were great but we were surprised by the abundance of stray dogs in the city. Sicily has a stray dog problem, but they are usually out in the farmland, not in the middle of a major town. A few dogs followed us around to dinner. It was another pizza and gelato night. As we were walking back to the hotel, I remember thinking that I'd better not run with our dog in the morning. The last thing I want is to get into a dog fight.
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| Marsala |
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| Fighting the winds in Menfi |
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| Mazara |
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| Glad to be done with Day 3 |
Day 4 - 22 April 2019, Licata to Brucoli
I chose to run solo this morning and I'm glad I did. I ran by a park and woke up a pack of stray dogs. My body went into fight or flight mode not knowing what they would do. Fortunately all they did was bark. After three days on the bike I must have looked too skinny to bite into. Had my dog been with me, I think things would've gotten interesting. My legs were a little stiff on the run but other than the dog encounter, my heart rate was right where I wanted it to be. I was feeling good and consciously working to get in the right frame of mind. The winds were as strong as they were the night before and I wasn't looking forward to another day of headwinds. I told myself I just have to get to mile 93 and life would get better when I turn north towards home. It was also my 40th birthday and I wanted my memory of this day to be completing an epic ride around Sicily, not falling short because of some crummy weather. After my run I finished preparing the bike and reviewed The Rules of cycling for some motivation. The most applicable for today were -
Rule #5 - Harden the F*ck Up
Rule #6 - Free your mind and your legs will follow. Your mind is your worst enemy. Do all your thinking before you start riding your bike. Once the pedals start to turn, wrap yourself in the sensations of the ride – the smell of the air, the sound of the tires, the feeling of flight as the bicycle rolls over the road.
Rule #9 - If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period. Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.
Rule #20 - There are only three remedies for pain. These are:
- If your quads start to burn, shift forward to use your hamstrings and calves, or
- If your calves or hamstrings start to burn, shift back to use your quads, or
- If you feel wimpy and weak, meditate on Rule 5!
With those thoughts in mind, I was riding out of town by 6:10 am. The winds were strong from the very beginning and it didn't take long for the rain to kick in. I rode to the next big city of Gela in 1 hour and 36 minutes. I didn't let the pace get to me though. Mentally I was in a better place. I spent that first 90 minutes giving myself a pep talk focusing on all the things I could control - power output, staying ahead of nutrition, and keeping a positive frame of mind. As long as I stayed on top of that, the miles would go by regardless of the weather.
I took my next break in Marina di Ragusa at mile 43 for espresso and a croissant. The cafe folks were intrigued that I was out riding and had a lot of questions about what I was doing in this weather and about my bike setup. Once the owner understood I was circumnavigating Sicily in 4 days, he told the others in Italian and they all exclaimed, "Bravo!" That was just the encouragement I needed.
My next big stop was at Mile 93, the most southern part of the route and a major milestone as it meant I'd be turning north and heading towards home. I met with up with my family at a cafe for arancini and gelato (of course). From there we said our goodbyes and they headed home. By mile 108 the rain had stopped and the winds improved. For the first time in nearly two days I was finally able to log some 5 mile intervals at 18 and 19 mph averages.
Before I knew it I was taking my last break at Toroloco Beach, a favorite swimming spot about 22 miles from my home. The skies were turning dark again and more rain was on the way, but it was at this point I realized I was actually going to achieve this crazy dream ride around Sicily. I got back on the bike and rode as fast as I could to beat the rain, which I barely did. I arrived home safe and sound at 6:33 pm.
Not many pictures today. I was focused on finishing what I started.
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| Marina di Ragusa stop |
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| Toroloco Beach - Almost Home |
Ride Tracking:
I use Strava Beacon in conjunction with Garmin Connect so my wife can track my rides. When I start a ride, a text message is automatically sent to my wife with a link to track my progress. My location updates approximately every 20 seconds, so at anytime she can look to see where I am and if I'm stopped or moving. This provides great peace of mind for both of us and allowed her and the boys to meet up with me on the route at various points without having to call and coordinate a meet up spot.
Equipment:
Bike: Bianchi Infinito CV Disc with compact crank and Ultegra Di2 components
Computer: Garmin Edge 1030 with European maps SIM card
Camera: Garmin Virb mounted under aero water bottle
Heart Rate Monitor - Garmin Swim (HRM-Tri broke days before and I couldn't replace in time)
Lights: Garmin Varia Rearview Radar and two Viewpoint Flare5 headlights
Saddle: ISM PN 2.1 40, yes this is a time trial seat
Pedals: PowerTap P1 with dual sided measurement
Tires: Continental Grand Prix 5000 clinchers, 700x28
Hydration: Two frame mounted water bottles and 1 Xlab Torpedo Versa aero bottle
Storage: Apidura Expedition Compact Frame Pack, .5L and 1L Top Tube Packs
Supplies: Two spare tubes, tube patches, two CO2 cartridges, mini-pump, tire levers, multi-tool with chain breaker, spare rear derailleur hanger, wet wipes, small rag, electrical tape, zip ties, first aid kit, LED lighted vest, headlamp, sunscreen, 6000mAh battery pack, iPhone and Garmin chargers, ID, passport, credit card, 50 euros
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| Apidura frame bags |
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| Front view with lights and bike computer |
Nutrition:
I mixed the two frame mounted water bottles with 3 scoops of Hammer Nutrition Sustained Energy and 1 3/4 scoops of Heed. This works out to be about 500 calories per bottle. The aero bottle is mixed with 3 scoops of Heed which is another 300 calories. In the top tube I carried two bagels with Nutella and peanut butter and a ziplock bag full of bite sized pieces of Clif Bars, Honey Stinger waffles, and Skratch Labs energy chews. I also carried one Hammer flask of gel and a capsule dispenser full of Endurolytes in my jersey pocket. Carrying this much allowed me to complete the daily distance with only 2 to 3 long stops for additional food and water. On average I had about 1 hour and 25 minutes of total stop time each day.
After a long ride it can take awhile before I'm ready to eat solid food. To get the nutrients I need for recovery, I drank 1 serving of Hammer Recoverite and 1 liter of Pedialyte and then ate a big meal later in the evening. I also kept a bottle of water on the nightstand and drank a few sips whenever I woke in the night.
Recovery:
Overall I think I faired really well. Sure, my legs are sore but nothing beyond what's expected. I've been wearing my NormaTec recovery boots every night which has helped with that. What did surprise me is how my arms and shoulders feel. My right bicep and shoulder were especially sore for a few days following the ride. I'm sure this is due to fighting the wind by holding the handlebars extra tight and leaning into the crosswinds. Mentally I feel great and I'm confident I had at least a couple more days of riding in me, although the Training Peaks stats may indicate otherwise:
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| Training Peaks stats at the end of each day. Fitness up, fatigue way up! |
This ride and the training leading up to it have been an incredible experience. I discovered a lot along the way, pushed well beyond my perceived limits, and learned I’m capable of much more. As I think about the journey and discuss it with others, part of me wishes I was still out there riding further and climbing higher. I think it'll take a while to come back to reality.
